Women's Olympic Games 2024

The continent's representatives in the Men’s Tournament will be decided at the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024™, with three automatic slots and a possible fourth from a playoff available.

The Japanese claimed their slot at a sixth Olympic Games in July and August thanks to goals from Hana Takahashi and Aoba Fujino in front of a crowd of 20,777 at Japan’s National Stadium, holding on for the win despite Kim Hye Yong’s late goal for the visitors.

The win meant Australia rounded out their campaign with 26 goals and five clean sheets – with latecomers to the squad Michelle Heyman and Kaitlyn Torpey among those who impressed in Tashkent and Melbourne against Uzbekistan.

Despite coming into the tie with a 3-0 advantage from the first leg, the Matildas stamped their authority from the start, taking a 8-0 lead by half-time in an impressive performance.

Victory means the Japanese, Olympic quarter-finalists on home soil in 2021 and winners of the silver medal in 2012, join Australia as one of Asia’s two representatives in the women’s tournament at the finals in July and August.

The Japanese, who took the lead through Takahashi in the 26th minute and saw Fujino double the advantage in the 76th minute, were made to sweat on their progress at a chilly National Stadium as Kim Hye Yong’s 81st minute goal gave DPR Korea hope of a first appearance at the Olympics since 2012.

In front of a packed Docklands Stadium, Tony Gustavsson’s team put on an emphatic display scoring eight goals in the first half, to confirm passage to a fifth Olympics participation.

Australia look set to advance after taking a 3-0 lead against Uzbekistan in the first leg while there is all to play for in the other tie, with Japan and DPR Korea having played to a goalless stalemate on Saturday.

The Nadeshiko struggled to create chances with goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita needing to be in top form to deny the Koreans a lead to take into Wednesday’s return leg in Tokyo, leading Ikeda to ponder different options.

Gustavsson’s charges toiled in front of goal for 71 minutes at the Bunyodkor Stadium on Saturday before goals from Michelle Heyman, Mary Fowler and Caitlin Foord all but confirmed Australia’s berth at the Paris Olympics.

The match at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium was a balanced contest, setting up a grandstand finish when the two sides meet in the second leg at the National Stadium in Tokyo on Wednesday.